Vega launches reentry technology demonstrator
Posted: Thu, Feb 12, 2015, 7:29 AM ET (1229 GMT)
A Vega rocket launched a European Space Agency experimental spaceplane Wednesday, a vehicle that splashed down successfully after a 100-minute flight. The Vega rocket lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 8:40 am EST (10:40 am local time, 1340 GMT) Wednesday after a 40-minute delay due to a telemetry issue. The vehicle placed ESA's Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV), a small robotic spaceplane, into a suborbital trajectory, reentering and splashing down in the Pacific near the Galapagos Islands an hour and 40 minutes after liftoff. A recovery ship located and broght on board IXV, and ESA declared the flight a success. The flight was designed to test technologies that could be used for future reusable spaceplanes, although ESA's specific plans for such vehicles are uncertain.
A Vega rocket launched a European Space Agency experimental spaceplane Wednesday, a vehicle that splashed down successfully after a 100-minute flight. The Vega rocket lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 8:40 am EST (10:40 am local time, 1340 GMT) Wednesday after a 40-minute delay due to a telemetry issue. The vehicle placed ESA's Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV), a small robotic spaceplane, into a suborbital trajectory, reentering and splashing down in the Pacific near the Galapagos Islands an hour and 40 minutes after liftoff. A recovery ship located and broght on board IXV, and ESA declared the flight a success. The flight was designed to test technologies that could be used for future reusable spaceplanes, although ESA's specific plans for such vehicles are uncertain.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, February 21
British-backed Smile headed to Europe’s Spaceport
ESA — 10:00 am ET (1500 GMT) ESA to launch Celeste LEO-PNT on March 24
GPS World — 10:00 am ET (1500 GMT) Commercial Space Stations Could Host Simulated Human Mars Trip
Aviation Week — 9:54 am ET (1454 GMT) NASA's Artemis II mission set to send humans beyond the Moon in March. Here's what you need to know
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 9:52 am ET (1452 GMT) NASA boss blasts Boeing and agency over bungled test flight that left astronauts stranded on space station
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 9:52 am ET (1452 GMT) |
